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  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what monetary thresholds were applied to the cost-per-quality adjusted life year quoted in the evidence submitted as part of his Department’s work with the Inter-departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008.

    Stephen Hammond

    As suggested by the evidence submitted as part of the Department’s work with the Inter-Departmental Group for the Valuation of Life and Health review in 2008, the Department for Transport does not use cost per quality adjusted life year in its analysis.

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Northern Rail on modernising stations on the South Fylde line.

    Stephen Hammond

    As owner and manager of the stations on the South Fylde line, it is for Network Rail and Northern to look at improving facilities at the stations on this line, working to develop schemes with other local stakeholders.

    Government support and funding for station modernisation and improvements are available through various schemes including Access for All and the National Station Improvement Programme.

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the importance of regional airports in meeting the UK’s aviation needs.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government’s Aviation Policy Framework affirms that the Government wants to see the best use of the UK’s existing airport capacity. It recognises that airports across the UK play an important role in local economies, and in securing connectivity for local populations – as well as having an important role in helping to accommodate wider forecast growth in demand for aviation in the UK.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he takes to ensure that statutory undertakers carrying out emergency works give notice to street authorities as required under section 57 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Failure by statutory undertakers to notify the highway authority when they carry out emergency works under section 57 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) is an offence. The authority concerned may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice, or the authority may initiate a prosecution against the undertaker for the offence.

    If the authority is a permitting authority under the Traffic Management Act 2004, section 57 of NRSWA is dis-applied, and is replaced with an offence of undertaking works without a required permit, which the authority may also deal with by Fixed Penalty, or may initiate a prosecution for the offence.

    These offences are all dealt with by the appropriate highway authority at a local level.

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Virgin Trains on ensuring that its proposed train service from Blackpool to Euston will stop at Kirkham Station.

    Stephen Hammond

    On 19 June 2014 the Secretary of State announced that Virgin had been awarded a new Direct Award franchise. This commenced on 22 June 2014, and will run until the new planned commencement of the next competed franchise in April 2017.

    Virgin and Network Rail will now submit an application to the Office of Rail Regulation for new services between Blackpool North and London Euston, which will include stops at Kirkham & Wesham and Poulton le Fylde stations. The new services are planned to commence in December 2014.

  • Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Turner – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Turner on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many roads in each local authority area have been closed on (a) one occasion and (b) more than one occasion in the last year.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Information on the number of road closures in each local authority area is not held centrally by the Department for Transport.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the potential increase in passenger numbers on (a) the TransPennine Express and (b) Northern Rail lines during the life of the next franchises starting in February 2016.

    Stephen Hammond

    Between 2002 and 2012 rail demand in the North of England grew by a total of 66% and demand is expected to continue to grow. The Department for Transport is currently preparing its own forecasts of passenger demand for the next franchises to inform the specification.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the value for money of current levels of service on each section of the (a) TransPennine Express and (b) Northern Rail franchises.

    Stephen Hammond

    At a Direct Award or franchise Re-let we carry out value for money assessments (in order to calculate Benefit-Cost Ratios) of changes to service levels but we do not undertake this assessment of the existing base service levels where they carry forward into the new Agreement.

    However, for any large procurement exercise such as a Direct Award or Franchise Re-let, we use externally produced comparators that cover the whole of the franchise to allow us to evaluate the price of any bid that we receive.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role (a) his Department and (b) local authorities will have in (i) specifying and (ii) managing the new franchises for rail passenger services on the (A) TransPennine Express and (B) Northern Rail lines.

    Stephen Hammond

    The specification for each franchise is being developed collaboratively by the Department for Transport’s Rail Executive and Rail North. Rail North are representing all the local transport authorities in the North of England. This is line with the partnership agreement confirmed between the Secretary of State and leaders of the local transport authorities in the North of England in January 2014. An integrated partnership structure between Rail Executive and Rail North is being developed with a view to managing the franchise once it has been let.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the new Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre in Fareham to be fully operational.

    Stephen Hammond

    The National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) will commence operational duties in September 2014 when it takes on the operational areas previously covered by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) at Solent and Portland. The capacity and coverage of the NMOC will geographically expand as the new national network is incrementally implemented around the UK. The NMOC will be fully operational once this is complete in December 2015 as planned.